How to combat dry winter skin

Ready to ditch that dry and dull winter skin?

Last week I told you about a few skincare products I’m loving this winter and today I’ll give you a few tips on caring for dry, winter skin.

There are two things that I think my skin loves the most during cold months: a good scrub (homemade ones are the best) and baby oil- these two are my winter must-haves. Our skin tends to feel a lot dryer during cold weather, and if you love wearing tight, skinny jeans as much as I do, your skin can also get a little flaky and itchy.

BODY WASH

Pay attention to the type of body wash you’re using. Often times, they’re full of fragrance which can leave your skin feeling very dry. If your skin gets dry and itchy during winter, look for unscented shower gel/body wash that are suitable for sensitive skin. One of my favorites is Curel Itch Defense Body Wash– it’s unscented, foams nicely and soothes dry skin instantly.

EXFOLIATE

Throughout winter, your skin is “buried” behind layers of clothing. Your skin is continuously producing new cells and dead skin cells can clog your pores and make it difficult for products like body lotions and butters to absorb properly. You can make your own body scrub- using sea salt and olive oil or sugar and coconut oil and use it once a week (or more if needed) in the shower.

MOISTURIZE

If your skin gets dry to the point of being itchy, then I recommend you try something like Gold Bond Medicated Body Lotion– it has Aloe, Vitamin E, moisturizes extra dry skin and has a cooling effect that brings instant relief to dry and itchy skin.  During the day, I like using the SkinFix lotion I mentioned here, at nighttime I use oils and dry oils- they work great, especially right after exfoliating your skin. I already talked about c.Booth Nourishing Dry Oil Mist in this post– it’s a dry oil mist that can be used both on your body and face. I love using it right after shower, when my skin is still slightly wet.  If you want to go natural, you can also use coconut oil- I’d just avoid using it on your face if you’re acne-prone. If you like taking baths, put a few drops of body oil in your bath- it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, baby oil will do.

AVOID EXTREMELY HOT WATER

Hot shower and/or bath feel amazing during cold weather, but keep in mind that the hotter the water, the dryer the skin. I like my showers really, really hot, but during winter I make sure that the water is lukewarm, rather than scolding hot. If you can’t resist a hot shower, at least keep it short. Same thing goes for your bath.

A few other things to remember: make sure that you hydrate and that your diet is rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

How do you care for your skin in winter?